If you're using LinkedIn but struggling to turn visibility into real business, this episode will change the way you think about personal branding online. Welcome back to ep140 of Inspired To Invest. This week, Leslie Hughes is with us. To watch rather than listen, click HERE. Leslie is the principal of Punch Media, LinkedIn Top Voice 2025, author of Create, Connect, Convert, and digital marketing instructor at Ontario Tech University. Leslie has spent more than a decade helping professionals, entrepreneurs, and organizations elevate their visibility and credibility through strategic LinkedIn branding and storytelling. In this conversation, she shares how entrepreneurs can stand out online, build meaningful connections, and convert attention into opportunity. From the early days of the internet (before Google even existed) to today’s rapidly evolving AI-powered marketing landscape, Leslie reveals the lessons she’s learned building her business and coaching thousands of professionals on how to show up confidently online. We dive into: • How to craft a LinkedIn profile that makes a powerful first impression • Why vanity metrics like followers don’t actually drive business • The Create, Connect, Convert framework for LinkedIn success • How AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT are changing marketing • Why micro-communities will dominate the future of social media • The biggest challenges entrepreneurs face when building a personal brand • Lessons learned from adversity, entrepreneurship, and resilience Leslie also shares a powerful mindset shift rooted in the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi—the idea that beauty exists in imperfection—and why embracing that concept can help you show up authentically in your business and online presence. Whether you’re a real estate investor, entrepreneur, content creator, or executive trying to grow your influence, this episode will give you practical strategies to build credibility, expand your network, and turn your personal brand into real opportunity. Thank you to TenantPay for bringing us this month’s episodes. Say goodbye to rent hassles. TenantPay is a powerful and convenient tool designed to streamline and enhance your property management experience. Sign up! ➕ Follow Serena Holmes for insights on business, branding, real estate, investing, wealth (and more!). I'm on a mission to help others create wealth because "when you invest in yourself, the sky's the limit" 🚀 If you enjoy conversations about entrepreneurship, investing, personal branding, and building wealth, make sure to subscribe and ring the bell so you never miss an episode of Inspired To Invest. About Leslie Hughes Leslie Hughes is the Principal of Punch Media, a LinkedIn trainer, profile writer, and author of Create, Connect, Convert. She helps professionals and organizations increase their visibility and credibility through strategic storytelling and LinkedIn positioning. She is also a digital marketing instructor at Ontario Tech University and was named a LinkedIn Top Voice in 2025. About Inspired To Invest Hosted by Serena Holmes, Inspired To Invest features conversations with entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders who share insights on building wealth, creating impact, and designing a life of freedom through investing and entrepreneurship. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 00:45 Leslie’s journey into digital marketing before Google existed 02:05 How Leslie built her business and landed major early clients 03:25 Teaching social media strategy and digital marketing today 04:40 Why vanity metrics don’t translate into real business 06:15 The Create, Connect, Convert LinkedIn framework 07:20 How AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT are changing marketing 09:15 Biggest obstacles entrepreneurs face in digital marketing 11:10 Lessons from entrepreneurship, consistency, and imposter syndrome 13:20 Navigating adversity and sustaining a business through challenges 15:10 A shocking identity theft story and personal brand crisis 17:00 Protecting your digital reputation in the AI era 19:15 Best advice for entrepreneurs: getting comfortable being uncomfortable 20:40 The future of social media and AI-driven marketing 22:30 Time, money, and freedom as an entrepreneur 24:15 The concept of Wabi-Sabi and embracing imperfection 25:30 Final advice for building confidence and showing up online ➕ Follow Serena Holmes for all things related to business, entrepreneurship, real estate, investing, wealth (and more!). 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